There are many situations where it is desirable for a person to be able to carry a portable fan for personal cooling as they move about. For example, in fair grounds, theme parks, and the like, which are generally located in warm climates, a person strolling outside can find it unpleasantly hot, especially if the sun is beating down on gravel or hot tarmac.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,662 describes a personal spray fan. The device includes a spray body with a fan housing mounted over top. The spray nozzle is situated behind the fan hub and blades. The problem with such an arrangement is that the rotating fan vanes interrupt the spray, causing water to be scattered out of the airflow.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,843,344 describes another personal spray fan. The device includes a fan body releasably secured to the front face of a misting device body, so that the spray is above and behind the fan blades. This arrangement, while portable, is not suitable for wearing around the user's neck as a necklace. Also, the spray is not in the airflow produced by the rotating fan blades.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,845 describes a necklace spray fan. The device includes a fan body and spray body joined side by side along a longitudinal plane. Both the spray flow and the airflow are directed upwards. The user must grip and squeeze the spray body to release a spray. The problem with such an arrangement is the device must be manually positioned so that the airflow and spray are directed toward the user's face. This device can not be mounted in a stable position against the user so that the air and spray flow are directed toward the user's face. Also, the shroud interrupts the airflow and thus reduces efficiency, which is important in the case of battery-powered devices.